Listening rooms are rapidly becoming a staple in contemporary homes, offering a dedicated sanctuary for audio enthusiasts to truly immerse themselves in sound. But these spaces are not just about high-tech equipment; they embody a holistic approach to immersing oneself in sound, focusing on acoustics, aesthetics, and ambiance. To set the mood appropriately, a comfortable piece of furniture is essential. This season, sofa.com has introduced the perfect addition: the Ellora armchair. Floating away on this exquisite pillow armchair offers an unparalleled blend of plushness and style, making it the ideal choice for music lovers and podcast fans alike.
The essence of a great listening room lies in its comfort and the Ellora armchair delivers just that. Its deep seat and ergonomic design ensure one can enjoy hours of uninterrupted listening. It can be perfectly paired with a stylish footstool or a soft throw to create a cosy nook that invites you to sink in and enjoy the mindful moment.
Some great ways to style the room would be opting for sleek shelving for vinyl records, elegant side tables for the sound system, and incorporating soft, ambient lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. A well-chosen rug can also not only help to enhance acoustics but add a further touch of style.
Finally, don’t forget to add a personal touch. Show off your client’s love of music by decorating with framed album covers, music memorabilia, or artwork that reflects personal taste and passion for sound.
sofa.com makes it easy to create the perfect listening space, with the Ellora armchair offering both comfort and sophistication to enhance your audio experience.
About Sofa.com
Passionate about outstanding interiors, sofa.com offers a diverse and design led collection of made-to-order sofas, armchairs, beds, footstools and home accessories. With an extensive range of styles and over 100 fabrics to choose from, as well as the option to upholster in your own fabric, the customisable nature of sofa.com’s products make each piece easily adaptable to any interior style – perfect for interior designers and specifiers looking for stand-out pieces for upcoming projects.
If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.
Christmas is the season for classic design, yet at sofa.com, we recognise the demand for a contemporary look when entertaining during the festive season. This year, retailers and designers can inspire clients to combine traditional warmth with sleek, modern accents, creating a refined and memorable Christmas dining experience.
For clients with nostalgic elements in their space, such as an open fireplace or herringbone flooring, consider balancing these with modern, complementary pieces like exposed light fixtures. A rustic dining table, for example, gains sophistication when paired with plush velvet chairs, achieving an elegant, contrasting look that appeals to those seeking both comfort and style.
Additionally, thoughtful colour schemes add impact to the space. If clients opt for a timeless red and green palette, incorporating these colours into modern pieces offers a fresh and updated twist on a classic look. This season, blend traditions with current trends for a truly elevated festive setting.
At sofa.com we explore different aesthetics and design schemes to cater to everyone’s taste.
Stripes have always been a cornerstone of home decor, but now they’re making an even bigger impact on upholstery, injecting vibrant personality and flair to any room. This classic print offers the flexibility to create a bold statement or a light-hearted look, showcasing its versatility. That’s why sofa.com has introduced a brand-new striped fabric for the brand. Available in two striking colours, the Jack sofa can now be upholstered in either vibrant orange or deep green stripes, perfect for elevating the style of any interior.
If your room is styled with warm. Earth tones, the orange stripes will be a perfect match. The key to using such a bold pattern is balance; counter the orange with sage greens, soft blush accessories, and deep greens to create a playful yet elegant contrast.
Alternatively, for those who prefer graphic minimalism, a green-striped sofa offers an understated, chic look. To enhance the look further, incorporating stripes in a room with paneling or wooden floors; the vertical lines add height and elegance to any space, allowing the furniture to blend harmoniously whilst still making a statement.
The beauty of stripes is that no matter what colourway you choose, they bring memorable character and charm to space.
Find the one at sofa.com with a choice of 30 different styles and 100 plus fabrics to select from. Plus, with a lifetime guarantee on every frame and delivery in just 4-6 weeks, it’s never been easier to bring your vision to life.
This summer, sofa.com invites designers to rejuvenate living spaces by blending the retro sun-soaked vibes of Miami Vice with the contemporary soft, inviting hue of peach fuzz.
Start summer transitions with a mint pastel sofa, setting the perfect backdrop for the fruity shade. The delicate balance of mint and peach creates a harmonious and refreshing environment, ideal for relaxation. Mix and match different scatter cushions and when the seasons change, simply swap out the pastel cushions for darker, moodier tones to keep your living room looking fresh and on-trend.
Adorn your walls with fruit illustration artwork. These pieces not only echo the peach theme but also add a summery vibe to your living room and just like the cushions, can be switched out depending on the season. Incorporating a geometric patterned rug ties the room together with clean lines and a contemporary design that complements pastel palettes, adding a touch of retro sophistication. Complete your peach fuzz styled room with soft, cashmere throws patterned with contrasting prints for a playful edge.
Each of sofa.com’s frames comes with a lifetime guarantee and is delivered to your door in 4-6 weeks.
Looking back at sofa.com's favourite projects of 2023, it’s clear that boutique hotels are no longer simple nor quaint. We’ve worked with designers who are looking to bring the boutique hotel into modernity, and this starts with a reconsideration of what it is that makes a hotel welcoming, and how hotels can keep comfort and function as a top priority yet experiment more with colour and personality, creating a home away from home for guests.
One of the largest projects our dedicated trade team have worked on has been to furnish 9 bedrooms in a new luxury hotel in Ibiza. Perfectly pitched between boutique and mid-sized, Pikes is a project which showcases personality, textural interest and great use of materials. An infusion of colour with beautifully bright upholstered beds and complementary artwork creates an ambient and welcoming environment. Lucinda Swayne, interior designer on the project, comments, “During the renovation, it was vital that the quirky elements were retained to preserve the identity of the hotel. Within the redesign we have created eclectic comfortable rooms with a unique feel, coupled with micro-attention to functionality, so that guests will never want to leave”.
This focus on functionality comes down to vital design choices: bed size and placement, extra surfaces and storage, and lighting decisions.
A perfectly placed bed should leave ample space on each side, ideally enough for the essential bedside table. While beds are ideally placed centrally within the room, this can be a struggle within smaller spaces, when it comes to allow for storage on both sides. Working with designers at Rendall & Wright on a project in Norfolk, our nifty solution was to incorporate a storage ottoman at the foot of the bed, providing both a place to perch and somewhere to stow away personal effects.
Comfort is paramount, with almost all the designers we work with opting for king size beds, as the ultimate requirement for a great overnight stay, is comfort. The main goal is to ensure each guest has the best night’s sleep. Returning customers is the greatest compliment a hotel can receive, and the comfort levels will heavily influence the reputation of a great hotel.
Lucinda comments that a bedroom should be “a comforting space that provides guests with somewhere they never want to leave. Top of the list is by far a comfortable and statement bed.” For the ultimate in indulgence, beds with velvet headboards are a winner – not only do they look luxurious, but they are also beautifully soft and tactile.
Once comfort levels have been established, lighting is the next crucial element, and should be one of the first things considered. Where is the bed going to be placed? You’ll need bedside lamps or wall lights on a separate circuit to allow for adjustable light levels, and true comfort means not leaving your bed to turn off a light switch. Although inherently practical, lighting is another aspect of the room design that can be a vehicle for introducing colour or pattern.
Very much dispelling the reputation of being twee, it’s clear that smaller hotels are going through somewhat of a design shift. A well thought through and exquisitely executed delivery on all the non-negotiables of a dream hotel stay promises a luxurious escape form day-to-day life.
About sofa.com
Passionate about outstanding interiors, sofa.com offers a diverse and design led collection of made-to-order sofas, armchairs, beds, footstools and home accessories. With an extensive range of styles and over 100 fabrics to choose from, as well as the option to upholster in your own fabric, the customisable nature of sofa.com’s products make each piece easily adaptable to any interior style – perfect for interior designers and specifiers looking for stand-out pieces for upcoming projects. sofa.com have been delivering expert project solutions for over 10 years and have experience in a variety of sectors in hospitality, residential and commercial disciplines. With a sofa.com trade account, you can enjoy benefits such as industry leading delivery times, bespoke products, furniture packages, a sampling service and a competitive tiered discount structure.
Designed to imbue a sense of luxe minimalism into commercial and residential projects alike, sofa.com is thrilled to present a new AW23 collection to a trade audience. Comprising 3 seating ranges, new designs offer a hint of Scandi styling and a whole host of sleek, contemporary shaping.
Catering for a global network of interior designers working on a varied selection of specifications, sofa.com has built on its much-loved core collection and become a renowned interior design destination. A curated collection which takes inspiration from timeless shape and design, with each piece presenting unique elements which showcase one of Autumn's key furniture trends: sculptural minimalism.
24 new fabrics join the expansive offering of seating, ensuring all sofa and armchairs are specifically tailored to their final placement - not forgetting the option to upholster each and every sofa.com piece in COM, allowing for endless possibilities.
Boston is introduced as the urban hero of the collection, available as various sized sofa, chaise, armchair and footstool. The upholstered base facilitates a more generous seat depth, and dual-layered arm detailing balances the masculinity of the sofa, bringing a sense of enveloping comfort and a touch of modern sophistication - the purpose of the design; to combine relaxation with luxury.
Anders launches as an edited reimagination of Isaac, one of sofa.com's best selling designs, and epitomises laidback luxury. The shape boasts a plush base and back cushions filled with feathers for ultimate indulgence. Fullyremovable fabric covers, beautiful piping detail, plump padded arms and a simple silhouette - culminating in a tailored approach to minimalist design.
Borrowing inspiration from the 80's, geometric contrasts are created through the juxtaposition of Hockney's angular wooden detailing and the sweeping curves of the seat itself. A self-supporting shape with its bulbuous seat resting comfortably on the floor - intelligently designed and effortlessly sturdy, with enough squish to sink into.
As a team, sofa.com always find it interesting to look back at the successes of the year so far, delving into the data to look at what clients are seeking when it comes to luxury design.
Material of choice:
The past few years had seen an increase in sales of upholstered seating and bedroom furniture in colourful fabrics. However, 2023 so far sees a shift, as neutral tones overtake to reign supreme once again. Comprising the largest percentage of sales, two beautifully cool-toned beiges share the top spot – Pumice house basket weave, and Cashew viscose linen.
A palette which has always been well-suited to high-end hotel and residential design, this move to a more muted, modest scheme sits in line with a wider consumer trend seen this year – minimaluxe, or quiet minimalism. A focus on a few pared-back hues used together to create a streamlined aesthetic. Often you’ll notice that it is no longer colour that is used to showcase personality - the detail is all in the unique shapely elements of furniture, or the texture of the fabric selected.
Furniture Shape and design:
Sales of furniture with multifunctional features have increased year on year. The flexibility of modular furniture allows us to rearrange and reshuffle to accommodate extra guests, to adapt for entertaining purposes, or to allow increased space for stretching out and relaxing.
The top preforming sofa first debuted in 2009 and has continued to hold the top spot – and for good reason. The timeless shape, and ever-expanding offering of configurations allows Bluebell to sit equally as perfectly within contemporary specifications as traditional schemes. Another classic which has hurdled a few other contenders and is now situated at second place, is our Otto. Sleek lines, yet unbelievable comfort make this the ideal option for all settings.
Sofa.com have been lucky enough this summer to work on a number of hotel redesigns, and are pleased that the focus on creating bedroom furniture that is both designed to last yet has elements of key trends is popular within the hospitality sector as much as with residential shoppers. Sales of beds and mattresses in particular sit at 50% up on last year’s figures.
The sofa.com design and trade teams continue to work together ceaselessly to ensure new products are created in response to the needs of our customers, building on successes, adapting to meet any challenges and always bespoke.
The bedroom is one of the most important spaces in any project, whether residential or hotelier.
Considering the design of the room and ensuring that each element works effortlessly to create somewhere that promotes rest and enjoyment is key. Working closely with our global clientele over the past year, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in how designers are approaching each project, with a focus on creating a space of sanctuary. Each stage of the design process is an opportunity to create a space that evokes calm via colours, materials, furniture and accessory choice resulting in the perfect room layout.
As the centrepiece to all bedroom specifications, bed choice is key, and comfort is king. Think about both bed frame and mattress choice, as a deep slumber will be pivotal to guests not only feeling refreshed but recommending their experience to friends and colleagues.
Although we’ve seen hints over the past year or so that interior designers are becoming more experimental with colour, a calming selection of beiges, earth tones and off-whites remain top choices across our upholstered bed range. Texture is used as a way to add interest without opting for colour, with tactile fabrics such as sumptuously soft velvets, or comforting boucle offering the perfect starting point to create a neutral décor scheme that does not lack in design detail or impact.
Collaborating with our clients over the years, we’ve taken on board feedback on the importance of all the small details and our flexibility to fulfil bespoke requests means each element is considered, from bed height to access to switches, sockets and lighting.
Additional furniture should complement the overarching goal to create calm. Whilst acting as a decorative item and adding visual interest to a room, a well-chosen occasional chair at the right time of day can be either a relaxing additional space to unwind, or somewhere to sit and work. We’ve noticed an increase in designers’ incorporating seating at the foot of the bed, whether in the form of a chaise longue or decorative bench, again combining practicality that is tailored to the desired aesthetic. Bedside tables too should balance form and function, acting as a space to store personal items, while supporting stylistic factors within the room.
Often considered more by residential designers, incorporating elements of biophilia through the use of natural materials, and colours inspired by the outside environment has a multitude of benefits in hotel specifications. First popularised in the 50s to boost productivity in office design, this is a trend that has crept into hotel planning to promote a peaceful atmosphere.
If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more.
Consistently expanding on its contemporary custom designed offering sofa.com is delighted to introduce the launch of the SS23 Collection to a trade audience.
Launched on February 7th, the new season collection at sofa.com is a celebration of bespoke, high-quality comfort and sleek, shapely style. The collection comprises two hero upholstered seating options, new dining and storage furniture, and expansions of best-selling ranges, with a focus on growing bedroom and dining categories as well as presenting range expansions for the residential areas. Catering for a range of design specifications across commercial and residential projects, the collection introduces two main trends, with elements of coastal charm and modern rustic weaved through new product design.
The overarching palette for Spring is one that calms and comforts. Relaxed shaping and minimalist detailing are present throughout. Thirteen additions to the already vast assortment of fabric options include new varieties of velvet, subtly patterned weaves, and trendy tweeds, with a myriad of seascape blues central to the selection. All pieces of the expansion are also available as COM to create bespoke options to allow designers breadth of choice.
Speaking on the collection, trade development manager Laura Tarratt comments:
"We have seen a slight uptick in coastal and rustic styling and predict these themes to be the trends for 2023. Our new SS23 collection perfectly caters for these re-emerging themes with relaxed and minimalist shaping present throughout the collection. This season seating is at the core and we wanted to ensure each sofa, dining seat or armchair would stand alone as a beautiful, functional residential piece but also work to create a statement within restaurants, bars, office meeting room or set the scene in a hotel lobby."
"The overarching palette for spring is one of light tones and natural materials that embody comfort. Beautifully represented with plush velvets and subtle patterned weaves, we are expecting coastal themes to emerge in hotelier commercial and residential projects. Complementing this neutral colour scheme is the presence of rustic textures and solid fabrics rather than patterns.
Modern rustic radiates a relaxing and comfortable feel, which fits in with people’s desire for cocooning furniture. Boasting over 75 fabrics and the option to upholster all pieces in COM, our in-house team can fulfil any project brief becoming a one-stop shop for our growing interior designer clientele base."
Cover image: Sofa.com Seattle accent chair in Oyster boucle £940 each and Alexandria side table in black £310
Autumn proved to be the season the interior design community returned to pre-pandemic normality – out and about at every opportunity, and Sofa.com team were so pleased to be involved in some of the key events that attracted crowds of design enthusiasts and industry professionals.
Kicking off the season, they hosted an insightful podcast recording in the newly refurbished Chelsea showroom. Led by the host of Interior Design Business, Susie Rumbold, who took centre stage to discuss all thing eco – looking into how products are made, and the life cycle of everyday items.
A captivated audience participated in a lively discussion between Alexandra Jurkiewicz, Creative Lead at Helen Green Design, Chloe Bullock, founder of Materialise Interiors, and David Chenery, founder and director of Object Space Place - three designers leading the way toward a greener future, considering best practice, material innovations, and non-negotiables.
Full conversation available here.
Providing a variety of furniture for a number of spaces at Cheshire’s beautiful Capesthorne Hall, comfortably seated both guests and speakers for a variety of panels and discussions. Sofa.com's highlight of the week was working once again with The Interior Design Business Podcast as they delved into the nation’s favourite interior design TV shows and how they benefit the industry – with insight from Verity Coleman from Rascal & Roses, Siobhan Murphy from Interior Curve and Peter Grech from The SpaceMaker Interiors.
Available to listen here.
Sofa.com were proud to be the official furniture provider for this year’s sell-out show, providing furniture for several main stages and communal areas. Partnering with the IHS provided the opportunity to showcase new and best-selling designs to an elite group of hoteliers, commercial specifiers and leading interior designers. Their seating provided the perfect platform for industry experts such as Hamish Kilburn, Gavin Couper, and Eljesa Saciri as they spoke on upcoming trends and industry innovation: link here.
The first edition of the event post pandemic proved a roaring success, with visitors enjoying business conversation, insightful discussions and unique networking opportunities.
Working with Linwood over many years, Sofa.com know how beautiful their fabrics look on their seating, so they jumped at the chance to upholster our best-selling Bluebell sofa in their new Maypole linen. Decorex offered the perfect opportunity to showcase the finished result which was a real showstopper. One of their key offerings for design clientele is COM provision and judging by the number of entrants in our giveaway, it was a much-coveted item.
Four days of bustle as visitors enjoyed a world of inspiration across all categories of design.
Sofa.com's trade team was on site at each event to speak with both new and prospective customers, recommending product and demonstrating their wealth of knowledge on furnishing both contemporary and traditional décor.
Join SBID
Find out more about our flexible membership structure.
By subscribing, you agree to be added to SBID’s mailing list. As an industry’s standard bearer organisation, we strive to bring you the most up to date news and access to exclusive industry content through our various newsletters.
First Name
Last Name
Email Address
I accept the SBID Terms of Use